Allegheny Township woman victim in Murrysville murder-suicide

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An Allegheny Township woman and her daughter were the victims of a triple shooting on Saturday in normally peaceful Murrysville.

Gina M. Llewellyn, 50, of 1062 Route 356 was shot in the chest during what the Westmoreland County Coroner ruled a murder-suicide in the parking lot of the Cozy Inn bar and restaurant just off Route 22 in the municipality.

According to police sources, Llewellyn was shot and killed by Michael L. Lunsford Jr., 21, of 4560 School Road South. The coroner said Lunsford's death was a result of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Also shot by Lunsford and flown to Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, was Lynall Llewellyn, according to the coroner's office. Her age and address were not available. Llewellyn was listed in critical condition on Sunday, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

Police are calling the shooting a domestic dispute. Officials were not available to provide any further details on Sunday.

On Saturday, Murrysville police Chief Tom Seefeld stressed that the fatal shooting was not related to the Cozy Inn and that those involved were not patrons there.

In fact, the bar — a family business operating since 1954 — was closed at the time, Pierre Berardinelli said.

His son closed the establishment about 6 p.m. Saturday.

Berardinelli said that when no one is eating or drinking, they typically lock the doors.

“It's more of a hobby for us than anything else,” Berardinelli said.

A motorist and bystander reported hearing gunshots outside of the bar at 7:25 p.m. Saturday, Seefeld said. Investigators spent much of the night collecting evidence and processing the scene.

Murrysville is bisected by business corridor Route 22, and the western Westmoreland County municipality is home to many parks and hiking trails.

Mayor Bob Brooks expressed sympathy for the families involved and the situation.

“This is totally outside of what we're used to,” he said.

Brooks said the shooting involved a “young couple” living in Murrysville not far from the Cozy Inn.

No one answered the door at Lunsford's School Road South home Sunday afternoon. Also listed as living at that address is Ashley McHugh, according to voter records. Their relationship was unclear on Sunday.

Police sources said McHugh was with friends on Saturday when Lunsford asked her to meet him near the Cozy Inn. When the group convened, a confrontation ensued and shots were fired by Lunsford, police sources said.

Police have not said how many shots were fired or what type of firearm was used during the crime.

According to Valley News Dispatch archives, Gina Llewellyn was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the early 2000s. A 2002 article said the woman had been rendered blind in her left eye as a result of the nerve disease.

Llewellyn said in a 2006 Valley News Dispatch story that she was passionate about raising money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Llewellyn and her daughter Lynall liked riding horses together, but Llewellyn's symptoms forced her to quit. In July 2005, Lynall Llewellyn walked her horse Fancy from their Allegheny Township home to the Fort Armstrong Championship Rodeo in Armstrong County because arrangements for transporting the horse by trailer fell through.

In a Valley News Dispatch article, Gina Llewellyn said she followed her daughter and Fancy by car on the 12-mile trek. That night was Lynall Llewellyn's first barrel-racing competition.

Funeral arrangements for Gina Llewellyn will be handled by Giunta-Bertucci Funeral Home in Arnold. Arrangements for Lunsford were incomplete.

Autopsies were conducted on Sunday by Dr. Cyril Wecht and Pathology Associates.

Renatta Signorini is a staff writer for Trib Total Media.She can be reached at 724-837-5374 or rsignorini@tribweb.com.

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